Absorbent article with fluid treatment agent

ABSTRACT

A personal care absorbent article, such as a sanitary pad or napkin, wound dressing, and the like having an absorbent material treated with a fluid treatment agent, which fluid treatment agent causes red blood cells in a blood-containing fluid to agglomerate or lyse as the fluid passes into and/or through the absorbent article. In accordance with one preferred embodiment, the absorbent material is a porous nonwoven web material.

[0001] This is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.09/183,170, filed Oct. 30, 1998.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] This invention relates to an absorbent material for absorbingblood-containing fluids. More particularly, this invention relates to anabsorbent material for use in personal care absorbent articles, whichare particularly adapted for absorbing various blood-containing bodilyfluids while providing comfort and fit to the wearer, such as catamenialarticles such as sanitary napkins and pads, wound dressings, and thelike. The absorbent material may be a woven material, nonwoven materialor a combination of both woven and nonwoven materials.

[0004] 2. Description of Prior Art

[0005] A wide variety of disposable absorbent articles for collectingbodily fluids are known in the art. Commercial absorbent articlesinclude diapers, sanitary napkins, training pants, and incontinent carepads, wound dressings, and the like. Disposable products of this typeinclude some functional elements for receiving, absorbing, and retainingfluids. Typically, such absorbent articles have an absorbent corecontaining cellulosic fibers, for example, wood pulp fluff, particles ofhighly absorbent materials, for example, superabsorbents, and anadmixture of cellulosic fibers and superabsorbents. Typically, sucharticles include a fluid-permeable cover sheet or topsheet whichtypically faces the body of the user, an absorbent core, and afluid-impermeable backsheet.

[0006] Cover sheet materials are utilized for the transport of bodilyfluids into the absorbent core of personal care absorbent articles and,thus, materials used for cover sheet applications must manage distinctlydifferent body excretions, depending upon the application and theproduct type. Some products must manage fluids, such as urine, whileothers must manage proteinaceous and viscoelastic fluids, such asmenstrual discharge and fecal matter. The management of viscoelasticmenstrual discharge by feminine care products such as sanitary pads andnapkins is exacerbated due to the variations in composition and rheologyover a broad range of elasticity. Fluid management in feminine careapplications requires control of absorption of bodily fluids, control offluid retention in the cover, control of stain size and intensity,control of rewet of fluid back to the surface, and control of therelease of fluid to the absorbent core.

[0007] There are several factors which influence the flow of liquids infibrous structures including the geometry of the pore structure in thefabrics, the nature of the solid surface (surface energy, surfacecharge, etc.), the geometry of the solid surface (surface roughness,grooves, etc.), the chemical/physical treatment of the solid surface,and the chemical nature of the fluid. One problem associated withabsorbent articles intended for use in handling fluids comprising bloodcomponents such as feminine care products and wound dressings is thetendency of red blood cells to block the pores of the materials used forabsorption of fluids in such products. Typical of such porous materialsare nonwoven or fibrous web materials. The blockage of the pores of thenonwoven or fibrous web materials by the red blood cells results in areduction in the fluid intake and the wicking capabilities of suchproducts. In addition, in the case of feminine care products such assanitary pads and napkins, the blockage of pores of nonwoven materialsused therein by red blood cells results in increased staining. In thecase of feminine care products comprising superabsorbents, the red bloodcells attach themselves to the superabsorbents, resulting in blockage ofthe superabsorbents and a significant reduction in fluid uptake.

[0008] In the case of feminine care products such as sanitary pads andnapkins, women have come to expect a high level of performance in termsof comfort and fit, retention of fluid, and minimal staining. Of utmostimportance, leakage of fluid from the pad onto undergarments is regardedas totally unacceptable.

[0009] Improving the performance of feminine care products continues tobe a formidable undertaking, although numerous improvements have beenmade in both their materials and structures. However, solutionsaddressing the issues arising from the presence of red blood cells inblood or menses in feminine care products, as well as other absorbentmaterials for handling blood-containing fluids, have not beensatisfactorily implemented. It is apparent that a system whicheffectively handles red blood cells in a manner which addresses theissues set forth hereinabove will not only improve the distribution ofincoming fluids by the absorbent material, but will also reduce thetendency toward premature failures of these absorbent articles.

[0010] Methods for separating or removing red blood cells fromblood-containing fluids generally fall into two categories,agglutination (agglomeration) in which the red blood cells agglomerate,thereby enabling them to be more readily separated from the remainingfluid component, for example, by filtration, and lysing in which themembranes of the red blood cells are disrupted, resulting in a breakingdown or breaking apart of the red blood cells. Agglomeration is known tooccur, for example, in the presence of certain antibodies. However, weare unaware of any personal care absorbent articles employing these redblood cell management techniques.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Accordingly, it is one object of this invention to provide ablood-containing fluid absorbent material having the capability ofreducing the level of red blood cells in the fluid.

[0012] It is one object of this invention to provide a feminine careabsorbent product having improved fluid handling, including improvedfluid intake and wicking, and reduced staining characteristics.

[0013] It is another object of this invention to provide a feminine careabsorbent product having means for partitioning components of menses,thereby enabling improved fluid handling and reduced staining.

[0014] It is another object of this invention to provide a method andsystem which improves the intake of fluid by superabsorbents which maybe present in feminine care absorbent products.

[0015] These and other objects of this invention are achieved by amaterial for absorbing a blood-containing fluid comprising an absorbentmaterial treated with a fluid treatment agent whereby red blood cellswithin a blood-containing fluid absorbed by the absorbent material areagglomerated or lysed. In accordance with a particularly preferredembodiment, the absorbent material comprises a porous nonwoven webmaterial treated with said fluid treatment agent. In accordance with oneembodiment of this invention, the fluid treatment agent is anagglomerating agent which causes the red blood cells in theblood-containing fluid to agglomerate, thereby enabling them to bephysically separated from the blood-containing fluid, leaving a fluidthat is easier to absorb and less strongly colored. In accordance withanother embodiment of this invention, the fluid treatment agent is acell lysing agent.

[0016] The porous nonwoven web material may be produced by any number ofmeans known to those skilled in the art. In accordance with oneembodiment of this invention, the nonwoven web material comprises agradient of pore sizes produced by layering of nonwoven web layers, eachlayer of which has an average pore size different from the average poresizes of other nonwoven web layers, forming a porosity gradient nonwovenweb material. When disposed between the cover sheet and the liquidimpervious backing material of a personal care absorbent article, theporosity gradient nonwoven web material is disposed such that largeraverage pore sizes are oriented toward the cover sheet and the averagepore size of the nonwoven web material decreases in the direction of theliquid impervious backing material. As a result, the porosity gradientnonwoven web material acts as a “depth filter” wherein the agglomeratedred blood cells become trapped within the larger size pores of theporosity gradient nonwoven web material. However, care must be taken inselecting the pore size gradient to insure that the fluid separated fromthe agglomerated red blood cells is still able to pass by trappedparticles or clumps of red blood cells, thereby enabling furtherdistribution of the fluid within the personal care absorbent article asdesired, for example, to a superabsorbent.

[0017] One of the benefits of this invention derives from the fact thatthe red blood cells of a blood-containing fluid, having come intocontact with the fluid treatment agent, are no longer able to block theflow of fluids into the superabsorbents that may be present. This isparticularly surprising in the case where the red blood cells are lysedbecause, unlike agglomerated cells which may become trapped within thepores of the nonwoven material, resulting in their separation from theremaining fluid components, i. e. plasma, the components of the lysedcells remain in the fluid but apparently are no longer able to attachthemselves to the superabsorbents.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Definitions

[0018] As used herein, the term “nonwoven web” or “fibrous web” refersto any material comprising fibrous or fiber-like elements, usually in arandom arrangement, joined by bonding points which stabilize thestructure, providing at least some mechanical integrity, which form atleast some small pores throughout the length and width thereof betweenadjacent fiber-like elements. The term also includes individualfilaments and strands, yams or tows as well as foams and films that havebeen fibrillated, apertured or otherwise treated to impart fabric-likeproperties. “Nonwoven webs” or “fibrous webs” are formed by manyprocesses such as, for example, spunbonding, meltblowing, airlaid andbonded carded processes.

[0019] As used herein, the term “spunbonding” refers to a process inwhich small diameter fibers are formed by extruding molten thermoplasticmaterials as filaments from a plurality of fine, usually circularcapillaries of a spinneret with the diameter of the extruded filamentsthen being rapidly reduced as, for example, described in U.S. Pat. No.4,340,563 to Appel et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,692,618 to Dorschner et al.,U.S. Pat. No. 3,802,817 to Matsuki et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,338,992, U.S.Pat. No. 3,341,394 to Kinney, U.S. Pat. No. 3,502,763 to Hartmann, U.S.Pat. No. 3,502,538 to Levy, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,542,615 to Dobo et al.Spunbond fibers are quenched and generally not tacky when they aredeposited onto a collecting surface. Spunbond fibers are generallycontinuous and have average diameters frequently larger than 7 microns,more particularly, between about 10 and 20 microns.

[0020] As used herein, the term “meltblowing” refers to a process inwhich fibers are formed by extruding a molten thermoplastic materialthrough a plurality of fine, usually circular, die capillaries as moltenthreads or filaments into converging high velocity, usually heated, gas(for example air) streams which attenuate the filaments of moltenthermoplastic material to reduce their diameter, which may be tomicrofiber diameter. Thereafter, the meltblown fibers are carried by thehigh velocity gas stream and are deposited on a collecting surface,often while still tacky, to form a web of randomly dispersed meltblownfibers. Such a process is disclosed, for example, by U.S. Pat. No.3,849,241 to Butin. Meltblown fibers are microfibers which may becontinuous or discontinuous and are generally smaller than 10 microns inaverage diameter.

[0021] As used herein, the term “bonded carded” or “bonded carded webs”refers to nonwoven webs formed by carding processes as are known tothose skilled in the art and further described, for example, in U.S.Pat. No. 4,488,928 to Alikhan and Schmidt. Typically, carding processesinvolve starting with a blend of, for example, staple fibers withbonding fibers or other bonding components in a bulky batt that iscombed or otherwise treated to provide a generally uniform basis weight.This web is heated or otherwise treated to activate the adhesivecomponent, resulting in an integrated, usually lofty nonwoven material.

[0022] As used herein, the term “monocomponent” fiber refers to a fiberformed from one or more extruders using only one polymer. This is notmeant to exclude fibers formed from one polymer to which small amountsof additives have been added for color, anti-static properties,lubrication, hydrophilicity, etc. These additives are generally presentin an amount less than about 5 weight percent and more typically about 2weight percent.

[0023] As used herein, the term “conjugate fibers” refers to fiberswhich have been formed from at least two polymers extruded from separateextruders but spun together to form one fiber. Conjugate fibers are alsosometimes referred to as multicomponent or bicomponent fibers. Thepolymers are usually different from each other though conjugate fibersmay be monocomponent fibers. The polymers are arranged in substantiallyconstantly positioned distinct zones across a cross-section of theconjugate fibers and extend continuously along the length of theconjugate fibers. The configuration of such a conjugate fiber may be,for example, a sheath/core arrangement in which one polymer issurrounded by another, or may be a side-by-side arrangement, or an“islands-in-the-sea” arrangement. Conjugate fibers are taught, forexample, by U.S. Pat. No. 5,108,820 to Kaneko et al., U.S. Pat. No.5,336,552 to Strack et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,382,400 to Pike et al.For two component fibers, the polymers may be present in ratios of75/25, 50/50, 25/75, or any other desired ratios.

[0024] As used herein, the term “biconstituent fibers” refers to fiberswhich have been formed from at least two polymers extruded from the sameextruder as a blend. Biconstituent fibers do not have the variouspolymer components arranged in relatively constantly positioned distinctzones across the cross-sectional area of the fiber and the variouspolymers are usually not continuous along the entire length of thefiber, instead usually forming fibrils or protofibrils which start andend at random. Biconstituent fibers are sometimes also referred to asmulticonstituent fibers. Fibers of this general type are discussed in,for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,108,827 to Gessner.

[0025] As used herein, the term “polymer” generally includes, but is notlimited to, homopolymers, copolymers, such as for example, block, graft,random and alternating copolymers, terpolymers, etc., and blends andmodifications thereof. In addition, unless otherwise specificallylimited, the term “polymer” includes all possible geometricconfigurations of the material. The configurations include, but are notlimited to, isotactic, syndiotactic, and random symmetries.

[0026] As used herein, the term “absorbent material” refers to anymaterial having fluid absorption properties.

[0027] As used herein, the term “personal care absorbent articles”refers to diapers, training pants, absorbent underpants, adultincontinence products, sanitary wipes and feminine hygiene products suchas sanitary napkins and pads.

[0028] As used herein, the term “intake” refers to the ability of anabsorbent article to absorb fluid. Intake time is used to assess thequality of absorption with lower intake times denoting materials capableof rapid absorption and higher intake times denoting materials withpoorer absorption.

[0029] As used herein, the term “stain” refers to fluid, wet or dry,which is present on the top surface, in, or on the bottom surface of acover material or topsheet of a personal care absorbent article.

[0030] As used herein, the term “gradient porosity” refers to a poroussystem in which the average pore size in the system decreases (orincreases) from one side of the system to the opposite side of thesystem. In the case of personal care absorbent articles employingporosity gradient nonwoven web materials in accordance with thisinvention, average pore sizes decrease from the side of the nonwoven webmaterial disposed towards the topsheet or cover of the absorbent articlein the direction of the liquid impervious backsheet.

[0031] This invention, in accordance with one embodiment, provides anonwoven web material suitable for use in personal care absorbentarticles such as sanitary pads, napkins and tampons, wound dressings andthe like, the intended purpose of which is to absorb and storeblood-containing fluids. The nonwoven web material of this inventionreduces the impact of red blood cells on fluid intake, wickingcapabilities, and staining. The nonwoven web material of this inventionis a porous material which is treated with a fluid treatment agentwhereby the red blood cells in a blood-containing fluid, such as menses,are either agglomerated or lysed.

[0032] In accordance with one preferred embodiment of this invention,the average pore size of the pores of the nonwoven web material is inthe range of about 10 microns to about 200 microns, thereby ensuringthat the individual red blood cells will be able to pass through theoutermost pores of the nonwoven web material into the interior thereofwhile also ensuring that the agglomerated red blood cells will be unableto pass through the pores tocontact superabsorbents which my be present.

[0033] The porsous nonwoven web material of this invention may beproduced by any method known to those skilled in the art for producingnonwoven web materials. The fibers from which the nonwoven web materialof this invention is made may be produced, for example, by meltblowingor spunbonding processes, including those processes producingbicomponent, biconstituent or polymer blend fibers which are well knownin the art. These processes generally use an extruder to supply meltedthermoplastic polymer to a spinneret where the polymer is fiberized toyield fibers which may be staple length or longer. The fibers are thendrawn, usually pneumatically, and deposited on a moving foraminous mapor belt to form the nonwoven fabric. The fibers produced in the spunbondand meltblown processes are microfibers.

[0034] Alternatively, the nonwoven web may be a bonded carded web.Bonded carded webs are made from staple fibers, which are usuallypurchased in bales. The bales are placed in a picker, which separatesthe fibers. Then, the fibers are sent through a combing or carding unit,which further breaks apart and aligns the staple fibers in the machinedirection to form generally machine direction-oriented fibrous nonwovenweb. Once the web is formed, it is then bonded by one or more of severalknown bonding methods. One such bonding method is powder bonding whereina powdered adhesive is distributed through the web and then activated,usually by heating the web and adhesive with hot air. Another suitablebonding method is pattern bonding wherein heated calendar rolls orultrasonic bonding equipment are used to bond the fibers together,usually in localized bond pattern, though the web can be bonded acrossits entire surface, if so desired. Another suitable bonding method,particularly when using bicomponent staple fibers, is through-airbonding.

[0035] In accordance with one preferred embodiment of this invention,the nonwoven web material of this invention is a multilayer laminate inwhich nonwoven web material layers having different average pore sizesare layered on e upon another so as produce a nonwoven web materialhaving a porosity gradient as defined herinabove.

[0036] To provide separation of the red blood cells from theblood-containing fluids absorbed into the personal care absorbentarticle in accordance with one embodiment of this invention, the porousnonwoven web material is treated with a fluid treatment agent which isan agglomerating agent which causes the red blood cells to clump uponcoming into contact with the agglomerating agent. Suitable agglomeratingfluid treatment agents for use in the personal care absorbent article ofthis invention include, but are not limited to, antibodies, polycationicmaterials, that is highly positively charged polymers, and tri-blockcopolymers of polypropylene oxide and polyethylene oxide. Oneparticularly suitable tri-block copolymer goes under the commercial nameof PLURONIC®F-98 available from BASF (Germany) and constitutes aparticularly preferred embodiment of the invention. PLURONIC F-98 is atri-block copolymer surfactant of 80% by weight polyethylene oxide and20% by weight polypropylene oxide having a molecular weight of about9000.

[0037] Investigations which we have conducted have shown that greaterthan about a 1% by weight PLURONIC F-98 solution is required toagglomerate red blood cells in blood and menses. In accordance with aparticularly preferred embodiment of this invention, the agglomeratingfluid treatment agent is a 2% by weight solution of PLURONIC F-98.

EXAMPLE

[0038] One gram of a 20% solution of PLURONIC®F-98 was mixed with bloodand 3 grams of the resulting mixture were applied to a piece ofpolyethylene film. After five minutes, the blood was drained off.Observation of the “treated” blood under a microscope revealed that thered blood cells had agglomerated without lysing.

[0039] As a result of treatment of the porous nonwoven web material withan agglomerating fluid treatment agent, the red blood cells clumptogether and are “filtered” out of the menses or blood ads a result ofbeing trapped in the pores of the nonwoven web material. In accordancewith on preferred embodiment of this inventinon, the nonwoven webmaterial comprises a porosity gradient which acts as a “depth filter”.The remaining fluid, without the red blood cells, is less colored, as aresult of which any leakage which may occur is not as easily detected.In addition, the uptake of the menses by the nonwoven web material andthe superabsorbents which may be present without the red blood cells isimproved compared to menses in which the red blood cells are presentbecause the red blood cells are no longer available for cloggingpassages in the nonwoven web material (wicking material) andsuperabsorbents. Finally, in the absence of red blood cells, the mensesexhibits reduced viscoelastic properties, that is improved fluid intake,distribution and absorption properties.

[0040] Our finding that a surfactant such as the tri-block copolymersurfactant PLURONIC F-98 can be used as a red blood cell agglomeratingagent without lysing of the red blood cells is particularly unusual andunexpected because surfactant as a whole are known to lyse red bloodcells. To our knowledge, until now, surfactant which enable theagglomeration of red blood cells without lysing were not known.

[0041] In addition to PLURONIC copolymer surfactant, in accordance withone embodiment of this invention, the agglomerating fluid treatmentagent comprises at least one antibody. Methods for obtaining antibodiessuitable for use in this invention are generally known to those skilledn the art and typically involve injection of red blood cell membranesinto an animal, resulting in generation of the antibody by the animal,and harvesting of the antibody from the animal.

[0042] In accordance with yet another embodiment of this invention, thefluid treatment agent is a polycationic polymer surfactant, that is, ahighly positively charged linear polymer. One example of a polycationicpolymer suitable for use as a fluid treatment agent in accordance withone preferred embodiment of this invention is polylysine.

[0043] In accordance with on preferred embodiment of this invention, thefluid treatment agent applied to the nonwoven web material is a redblood cell lysing agent. We have found that at least some lysing agentsin accordance with this invention are effective in their ability to lysered blood cells at concentrations as low as 0.1% by weight. Suitablelysing agents for use in the personal care absorbent articles of thisinventino include GLUCOPON 220, an octylpolyglycoside available fromHenkel Corporation, Ambler, Pa., MASIL®SF-19, an alkoxylatedpolysiloxane available from PPG Industries, Inc., Specialty ChemicalsDivision, Gurnee, Ill., nonionic surfactant LAURETH 7, an alkoxylatedalcohol available from Heterene, Inc., Paterson, N.J., nonionic LAURETH4, an alkoxylated alcohol available from Heterence, Inc., nonionic PPG5-Laureth 5, an alkoxylated alcohol available from Henkel Corporation,amphoteric surfactant DERIPHAT 160S, an alkyl-substituted amino acidavailable from Henkel/Cospha, Ambler, Pa., anionic surfactant sodiumlaurel sulfate, an alkyl sulfate available from Henkel, amphotericMACKAM 15-L, an alkyl substitured amino acid available from McIntyreGroup, University Park Ill., anionic MACKANATE LM-40, a sulfosuccinateavailable from McIntyre Group, anionic STANDOPOL SH124-3, asulfosuccinate available from Henkel/Cospha, and anionic HAMPOSYL L-30,a sarcosinate available from Hampshire Chemical, Lexinton, Mass.

[0044] In accordance with a particularly preferred embodiment of thisinvention, the red blood cell lysing agent is a saponin, a highmolecular weight glycoside comprising a sugar part linked to atriterpene or steroid aglycone. A suitable saponin produced fromquillaja bark is available from Sigma Chemical Company, St. Louis, Mo.

[0045] A method for producing an absorbent material for facilitatingfluid handling and providing reduced staining in personal care absorbentarticles comprises forming a nonwoven web material having an averagepore size in the range of about 10 microns to about 200 microns andtreating said nonwoven web material with a fluid treatment agent, whichfluid treatment agent is preferably an agglomerating agent suitable forcausing red blood cells in a blood-containing fluid to agglomerate uponcontact with the agglomerating agent or a red blood cell lysing agent.Suitable agglomerating agents include PLURONIC®F-98, antibodies, andpolycationic polymers. The fluid treatment agent may be applied to thenonwoven web material by any means known to those skilled in the artincluding dipping the nonwoven web material into a solution of the fluidtreatment agent or spraying the fluid treatment agent directly onto thenonwoven web material.

[0046] While in the foregoing specification the invention has beendescription in relation to certain preferred embodiments thereof, andmany details have been set forth for purpose of illustration, it will beapparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is susceptibleto additional embodiments and that certain of the details describedherein can be varied considerably without departing from the basicprinciples of the invention.

We claim:
 1. A personal care absorbent article comprising: a porousnonwoven web material treated with a fluid treatment agent suitable foraltering red blood cells on contact with a red blood cell-containingfluid.
 2. A personal care absorbent article in accordance with claim 1,wherein said fluid treatment agent is one of a red blood cellagglomerating agent and a red blood cell lysing agent.
 3. A personalcare absorbent article in accordance with claim 1, wherein said agent isa tri-block copolymer comprising polypropylene oxide and polyethyleneoxide.
 4. A personal care absorbent article in accordance with claim 1,wherein said agent is a polycationic material.
 5. A personal careabsorbent article in accordance with Claim 4, wherein said polycationicmaterial is a polycationic surfactant linear polymer.
 6. A personal careabsorbent article in accordance with claim 4, wherein said polycationicmaterial is polylysine.
 7. A personal care absorbent article inaccordance with claim 1, wherein said fluid treatment agent is anantibody.
 8. A personal care absorbent article in accordance with claim1, wherein said fluid treatment agent is a soponin.
 9. A personal careabsorbent article in accordance with claim 1, wherein said pores of saidnonwoven web material have an average pore size in a range of about 10microns to about 200 .
 10. A personal care absorbent article inaccordance with claim 1, wherein said porous nonwoven web materialcomprises a porosity gradient with pore size increasing from one sizeporous nonwoven web material to an opposite side of side porous nonwovenweb material.
 11. A personal care absorbent article in accordance withclaim 1, wherein said porous nonwoven web material is a nonwovenmaterial selected from the group consisting of spunbond, meltdown,airlaid, and bonded carded.
 12. A personal care absorbent article inaccordance with claim 3, wherein said fluid treatment agent comprises asolution comprising greater than about 1% by weight of said tri-blockcopolymer.
 13. A personal care article in accordance with claim 1further comprising at least one superabsorbent dispersed throughout saidnonwoven web material.
 14. A personal care absorbent article inaccordance with claim 2, wherein said lysing agent is an alkoxylatedalcohol.
 15. A personal care absorbent article in accordance with claim2, wherein said lysing agent is an octylpolyglycoside.
 16. An absorbentmaterial comprising: a backing material which is substantially fluidimpervious; a cover material comprising a fluid permeable polymericfilm; and an absorbent core disposed between said cover material andsaid backing material, said absorbent core comprising a porous nonwovenweb material treated with a fluid treatment agent whereby red bloodcells contacting said agent are one of agglomerated and lysed.
 17. Anabsorbent material in accordance with claim 16, wherein said fluidtreatment agent is a tri-block copolymer comprising polypropylene oxideand polyethylene oxide.
 18. An absorbent material in accordance withclaim 16, wherein said fluid treatment agent is a polycationic material.19. An absorbent material in accordance with claim 16, wherein saidfluid treatment agent is an antibody.
 20. An absorbent material inaccordance with claim 16, wherein said porous nonwoven web materialcomprises a gradient of pore sizes with pore sizes decreasing in adirection of said backing material.
 21. An absorbent material inaccordance with claim 16, wherein said porous nonwoven web materialcomprises a gradient of pore sizes decreasing in a direction of saidbacking material.
 22. An absorbent material in accordance with claim 16,wherein said porous nonwoven web material is a nonwoven materialselected from the group consisting of spunbond, meltblown, airlaid, andbonded carded.
 23. An absorbent material in accordance with claim 17,wherein said fluid treatment agent comprises a solution comprising atleast 1% by weight of said tri-block copolymer.
 24. An absorbentmaterial for absorption of a red blood cell containing viscoelasticfluid comprising: a porous synthetic substrate having a fluid treatmentagent disposed for contact by said viscoelastic fluid, whereby said redblood cells are one of agglomerated and lysed upon contact with saidfluid treatment agent.
 25. An absorbent material in accordance withclaim 24, wherein said synthetic substrate is a nonwoven material. 26.An absorbent material in accordance with claim 25, wherein said nonwovenmaterial is selected from the group consisting of spunbond, meltblown,airlaid and bonded carded.
 27. An absorbent material in accordance claim24, wherein said fluid treatment agent is a tri-block copolymercomprising polypropylene oxide and polyethylene oxide.
 28. An absorbentmaterial in accordance with claim 24, wherein said fluid treatment agentis a polycationic compound.
 29. An absorbent material accordance withclaim 24, wherein said fluid treatment agent is an antibody.
 30. Anabsorbent material in accordance with claim 24, wherein saidviscoelastic fluid is menses.
 31. An absorbent material in accordancewith claim 24, where in said viscoelastic fluid is at least one of bloodand wound exudate.
 32. In a personal care absorbent article having asubstantially fluid impervious backing material, a fluid permeable covermaterial, an absorbent core disposed between said cover material andsaid backing material, and a superabsorbent disposed within saidabsorbent core, the improvement comprising: said absorbent corecomprising cell means for altering red blood cells of a red bloodcell-containing fluid upon contact with said absorbent core whereby saidred blood cells are precluded from reducing a fluid uptake rate of saidsuperabsorbent.
 33. A personal care absorbent article in accordance withclaim 32, wherein said absorbent core comprises a porous nonwoven webmaterial and said cell means comprises a red blood cell agglomeratingagent disposed on said porous nonwoven web material.
 34. A personal careabsorbent article in accordance with claim 32, wherein said absorbentcore comprises a porous nonwoven web material and said cell meanscomprises a red cell lysing agent disposed on said porous nonwoven webmaterial.
 35. A personal care absorbent article in accordance with claim33, wherein said red blood cell agglomerating agent is an antibody. 36.A personal care absorbent article in accordance with claim 33, whereinsaid red blood cell agglomerating agent is a surfactant selected fromthe group consisting of tri-block copolymers of polyethylene oxide andpolypropylene oxide, and polycationic linear polymers.
 37. A personalcare absorbent article in accordance with claim 34, wherein said redblood cell lysing agent is a saponin.
 38. A personal care absorbentarticle in accordance with claim 33, wherein the pores of said porousnonwoven web material have an average pore size in a range of about 10microns to about 200 microns.
 39. A catamenial device comprising: abacking material comprising a fluid permeable polymeric film; and acover material comprising a fluid permeable polymeric film; and anabsorbent core disposed between said cover material and said backingmaterial, said absorbent core comprising a porous nonwoven web materialtreated with a fluid treatment agent whereby red blood cells contactingsaid agent are one of agglomerated and lysed.
 40. A material forabsorption of a red blood-cell containing fluid comprising: an absorbentmaterial treated with a fluid treatment agent suitable for altering redblood cells on contact with said red blood cell-containing fluid.
 41. Amaterial in accordance with claim 40, wherein said absorbent material isa nonwoven web material.
 42. A material in accordance with claim 40,wherein said absorbent material is a woven material.
 43. A material inaccordance with claim 40, wherein said fluid treatment agent is one of ared blood cell agglomerating agent and a red blood cell lysing agent.44. A material in accordance with claim 40, wherein said agent is atri-block copolymer comprising polypropylene oxide and polyethyleneoxide.
 45. A material in accordance with claim 40, wherein said agent isa polycationic material.
 46. A material in accordance with claim 45,wherein said polycationic material is a polycationic surfactant linearpolymer.
 47. A material in accordance with claim 45, wherein saidpolycationic material is polylysine.
 48. A material in accordance withclaim 40, wherein said fluid treatment agent is an antibody.
 49. Amaterial in accordance with claim 40, wherein said fluid treatment agentis a sponin.
 50. A material in accordance with claim 40 furthercomprising at least one superabsorbent disposed within said absorbentmaterial.
 51. A material in accordance with claim 43, wherein saidlysing agent is an alkoxylated alcohol.
 52. A material in accordancewith claim 43, wherein said lysing agent is an octylpolyglyoside.
 53. Awound dressing comprising: an absorbent material treated with a fluidtreatment agent suitable for altering red blood cells on contact withsaid red blood cell-containing fluid.
 54. A wound dressing in accordancewith claim 53, wherein said fluid treating agent is one of a red bloodcell agglomerating agent and a red blood cell lysing agent.